Switching Gears: Look Good, Feel Good

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I just recently had my heart broken. Regardless of the circumstances, break-ups suck; there's no way to get around it. However, there are some ways to get through them - here's my list of things I'd wish I'd known sooner:

Friends are Amazing

I'm very lucky. One of my best friends lives next door. Literally. The only thing separating our apartment buildings is a "restaurant" (we're not convinced it's actually a restaurant). The other lives in Kingston - so not too far away. Between the two of them I had more than enough love and support to get me through the rough days - a girl really couldn't ask for more. They also provided me with many distractions, such as taking me out bar hopping when it was the last thing I wanted to do - they even let me wear my TOMS the first time.

Your friends are there for you through thick and thin - so use them!
Hey, you would do the same if they were in your shoes, right?!

Anti-Puff Eye Rollers are a godsend

Photo courtesy of Garnierusa.com

Seriously. Whether it's from crying or the aforementioned barhopping, no one wants to walk around with dark circles and puffy eyes. That's where this little beauty comes in. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm a convert. Every morning I roll a little on after a shower and I feel like I'm glowing - in a good way. You know what they say: "Look good, feel good," and it's true.

NB: This post is in no way sponsored by Garnier - it were just the only eye roller that Shoppers had; I'm not mad about it.

 Do YOGA

Photo courtesy of healthyoga.com

Continuing with the look good, feel good mantra - yoga is definitely the way to go. Or, in my case, yoga-lates-chi is the way to go. I'd been avoiding going to yoga because I thought: "Oh great, an hour of quiet time. Just what I need, more time to be in my head."  That is until my best friend sent me an article about which exercises were best when you were sad - and low and behold, they suggested yoga. I'm not one to balk at advice given by magazines, so I gave yoga-lates-chi a try. It was amazing. Although it was quiet, I was so focused on my breathing and stretching that I didn't even have time to sit and think about things. Plus I immediately felt better.

Drink lots of water

Photo courtesy of mylot.com

This is just common sense. Not only does it replenish the fluids lost from crying, it helps maintain a healthy, beautiful complexion. Remember: Look Good, Feel Good.

And finally, SMILE

It might be hard. It might be the absolute last thing that you want to do - I know it was for me at times. But smiling is contagious. Here's the scientific explanation: "Researchers think that by forcing a smile, you activate a specific set of muscles in the face. That set of muscles is closely connected to the emotions of happiness and joy. By smiling, you are signalling the emotional centres of your brain to tell them that everything in good" (longevity.about.com). Plus, it feels so much better to walk around with a smile than a frown.

And that's the most important thing: feeling good!

So there you have it, my tips for surviving a break-up, or any tough time.

Oh - and take off the sweatpants. I know they're comfy, but do they make you feel good. I think not. No one feels pretty in sweatpants. 

Is there anything that isn't on this list that you think should be? Let's share!